October 2006  

Steady demand for dairy heifers seen
Cow slaughter was up about 14 percent this summer compared to last year as the nation's dairy herd contracted in response to lower milk prices. However, with milk prices expected to improve over the next few months, demand for heifers should hold up as producers buy heifers to replace cull cows, explains Greg Scheer, dairy analyst with Doane Advisory Services in St. Louis. Replacement heifer prices are expected to hold steady near $1,680 this fall — almost $200 less than the record of $1,870 set last October.


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Heat treatment destroys colostrum pathogens
Colostrum can be heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour without affecting antibody levels or viscosity. Now, research from the University of Minnesota shows this longer, lower-temperature approach also destroys pathogens in colostrum. After 30 minutes of heat treatment at 140 F, the researchers could not detect Mycoplasma bovis, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli and Salmonella enteritidis in colostrum. On average, after 60 minutes they could not detect the organism that causes Johne's disease. However, the researchers say additional studies are needed because of variation in the culture results. The research was reported in the September issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.

Study: Crossbreeding benefits calves
 Crossbred calves are healthier, according to a University of Wisconsin study. The research shows Holstein-Jersey crossbred calves had higher serum-total-protein levels and lower death loss than pure Holstein calves. For more details, go to dairyherd.com.

Presynch doesn’t increase heifer pregnancies
According to a University of Wisconsin study, using a presynch estrus-synchronization protocol does not increase heifer pregnancies. In an on-farm trial with 166 heifers, researchers treated half of the animals with GnRH seven days before beginning a synchronization and timed-A.I. protocol. The other half followed the same synchronization and timed-A.I. protocol, but did not receive the extra shot of GnRH. At 30 days after breeding, the proportion of heifers diagnosed pregnant did not differ between treatments. The researchers theorize this is due to variation in follicular dynamics among individual heifers. The research was published in the October Journal of Dairy Science.

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Missouri producer puts a lid on death loss
A strong dry-cow vaccination program and good calf nutrition are the keys to low calf death losses at Bernie VanDalfsen's dairy in Reeds, Mo. VanDalfsen vaccinates all dry cows for E. coli, coronavirus and rotavirus to help build the calves' immunity. In addition, all newborn calves are fed a minimum of two bottles of colostrum. The amount of milk replacer fed is slowly increased so that by one week of age, each calf receives 1.5 bottles of milk replacer at each feeding. And by two weeks of age, all calves receive two bottles of milk replacer at each feeding. Then, at about three to four weeks of age, calves are transitioned to once-a-day feeding and they receive three bottles of milk per day.
     "We just don't see sick calves with scours anymore," says VanDalfsen. In fact, for the past three years, death loss in young calves has been less than 3 percent each year.

Teach young heifers to graze
 If you want cows to be good, efficient grazers, start training them as heifers, says Bernie VanDalfsen, Reeds, Mo. Soon after weaning, calves on this seasonal dairy get introduced to grass. Although the bulk of their nutrients comes from grain, young heifers are given a small portion of a paddock to graze and remain on that area until it is thoroughly grazed. Then, the fence is moved to give them another strip of grass. By August, the now six-month-old calves get about 70 percent of their nutrients from grazing and only receive about 3 pounds of grain per day.
     If you give heifers more grass before the paddock is thoroughly grazed, you teach them that they don’t have to graze it short and clean it up, he says. However, if you always make them properly graze the paddock — the same as you would expect of your cows — then by the time they freshen, they will be good, efficient grazers.

Convertible pens help calves socialize
Removable panels, a feature of the calf pens at the University of Minnesota's Southern Research and Outreach Center, give researchers the option to socialize newly weaned calves before they enter a group pen. To convert the pens, they remove the panel that separates one pen from another. During a study slated to begin this fall, researchers will convert the pens so that they can examine the effect of group versus individual feeding during the early post-weaning period. Calves will socialize for two weeks and then move into larger group pens in the grower barns.

Heifer workshop planned Oct. 31-Nov. 1
 Nutrition, housing and several other topics are on the agenda for the Dairy Heifer Care and Management Workshop, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in Wooster, Ohio. Registration is $195 per person (unless you participated in the Neonatal Calf Care and Management Workshop last March, in which case it is $155). For more information, call Dianne Shoemaker at (330) 263-3799 or follow this link to view a pdf of the conference brochure.

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